by STILLWATER, Okla. — Oklahoma State’s women’s basketball team suffered its first loss of the season with a 59-56 setback at the hands of Kent State in front of 1,644 fans inside Gallagher-Iba Arena on Sunday afternoon.
In a game that featured 17 lead changes, seven ties and neither team holding a lead by more than seven, the Golden Flashes closed with the game’s final six points to drop the Cowgirls to 4-1 on the season.
In the first, the two teams combined to miss their first 11 shots from the floor before OSU got back-to-back buckets to jump in front, 8-2. The Cowgirls held the Golden Flashes to a 2-of-11 start from the floor before Kent State hit its first trey of the game and followed with a layup to cut the OSU advantage to 12-11 with two minutes to go in the quarter.
The Golden Flashes beat the buzzer with a jumper to knot the score at 14 apiece heading into the second.
Kent State scored the first two points of the quarter to take its first lead of the day and the two teams traded baskets before OSU moved back in front on a 3-pointer from fifth year Claire Chastain for a 19-18 lead.
OSU endured a four-minute stretch without a field goal, allowing the Golden Flashes to move back in front, before the Cowgirls answered on their next trip down the floor. The lead changed hands once again with Kent State’s possession resulting in an old-fashioned 3-point play. The visitors would add a pair of free throws to lead, 27-23, with three minutes left in the half.
Chastain would drill a 3-pointer 30 seconds later before fifth year Terryn Milton’s layup moved OSU back in front, 28-27. The Cowgirls got a free throw from junior Lior Garzon with five ticks remaining to take knot the score at 29 apiece at the break.
The Cowgirls scored the first four points out of the gate before the Golden Flashes answered with four of their own to pull even once again. A Kent State 3-pointer at the six-minute mark, causing yet another lead change before junior Lexy Keys answered with a trey of her own to move OSU back in front, 38-36. The Cowgirls would make it a 7-0 run to extend the margin to 42-36.
OSU would take a 44-40 lead into the final period.
Chastain opened the scoring in the fourth with a 3-pointer from the wing before the Golden Flashes answered with an 8-0 run to regain the lead at 48-47. Chastain would answer back with a layup on OSU’s next possession.
Kent State drilled a 3-pointer with 4:30 to go to take a 51-49 lead before Alnatas knocked down a pair of free throws to pull OSU even with four minutes to go. Kent State moved in front on its next trip with two free throws of its own.
The Cowgirls tied the contest at 53 apiece with 90 seconds left on a drive and dish from Keys to junior Taylen Collins.
Keys would bury a trey with 45 seconds and Kent State got a jumper in the paint with 27 seconds left to cut the OSU margin to 56-55. Collins would miss a pair of free throws with 11.9 seconds left before the Golden Flashes converted a tough layup in the paint with 4.7 seconds left.
OSU turned it over on the attempted inbounds pass to seal the outcome.
Chastain led OSU with 19 points, while Keys added 10.
